The Department of Agriculture’s Farmland Preservation Program approved an additional 29 farms, totaling 3,085 acres this week. These farms join more than 2,500 others already preserved in perpetuity through the program.

Pennsylvania leads the nation in the total number of farms and total acreage preserved for agriculture. Currently, 2,565 farms and 295,447 acres have been preserved through the state program.

The Pennsylvania Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program was developed in 1988 to help slow the loss of prime farmland to non-agricultural uses. The program enables state, county and local governments to purchase conservation easements (also called development rights) from owners of quality farmland.

For more information, visit the Farmland Preservation webpage or call 717-783-3167.

2/18/2005